Underfeed stoker



May 22, 1934. 7 E. A. TURNER I 1,960,072

7 UNDERFEED 7STOKER Filed 0ct. 25, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR May22, 1934. I E. A. TURNER UNDERFEED STOKER Filed on. 25, 1930 :5Sheets-Sheet 2 w M Li mm a mm p I Q INVENTORN W y 22, 1934- A. TURNER h1,960,072

I UNDERFEED STOKER Filed Oct. 25 1930' 'S'SheetS- Sheet s Patented May22, 1934 unnnarnnn STOKER Edwin Archer Turner, New York, N. Y., assignorto The Standard Stoker Company, Incorporated, a corporation of DelawareApplication October 25, 1930, Serial No. 491,109 '1 Claims. (01. 110-44)My invention relates to underfeed stokers and particularly to underfeedstokers for locomotives.

It is an object of this invention to provide a stoker of the typedescribed which combines the advantages of simplicity, ruggedness,compactness and economy of construction, and convenience of repair andreplacement of parts.

Another object of the invention is the provision in stokers of the typedescribed of an improved fuel receptacle. and means for conveying fuelfrom the receptacle.

To the above and other ends the invention consists in the arrangement ofparts and in their relation and association one with the other or incombination as hereinafter described and as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central longitudinalvertical section through a portion of a locomotive showing the 20 stokermechanism in place in like section;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on' the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic .plan view of a modified form of a portion ofthe stoker; A V

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is an end view of the modified form of the stoker.

My improved stoker is applicable to locomotives and particularlylocomotives of the switcher type and for the purpose of bestillustrating the invention it will be so described, but its use is notlimited to such application for it is equally applicable in otherfurnaces of like conditions. Referring now to the drawings, thelocomotive is indicated generally at 10, its main frame at 11 itsfirebox at 12 having a backhead 13 with a hand firing opening 14therein.

Beneath the deck 15 of the locomotive is a fuel hopper 16 divided intothe fuel compartments 17 and 17a by the partition wall 18. A cover 19for the hopper 16 is formed in the deck 15 and is hinged as at 20 and 21so that one half of the cover 19 may be thrown back or the entire coverthrown back as desired. The hopper 16 is supported from the locomotivemain frame 11 by the foot members 22.

The fuel conveying mechanism comprises the conduits 23 and 24 whichcommunicate with the hopper 16 and extend forwardly therefrom beneaththe boiler mud ring 25, terminating in the magazines 26 and 27respectively which open upwardly and deliver fuel to the firebox 12through apertures in the grate 28. The conduits 23 and 24 are disposedone below the other, the conduit 24, delivering fuel to the forwardportion of the firebox, being below and supported from the locomotivemain frame 11 by the foot members 29, and the conduit 23, deliveringfuel to the rearward portion of the firebox, being above and supportedfrom the conduit 24 by the bracket 30. The conduit 24 communicates withthe compartment 17a, and the conduit 23 communicates with thecompartment 17 of the hopper 16. The screw conveyors 31 and 32 disposedin the conduits 23 and 24 respectively extend rearwardly into thecompartments 1'! and 17a respectively and advance fuel to and throughthe magazine 26 and 27 respectively, into the firebox.

The screws 31 and 32 are driven from their rearward ends by gearinghoused in the casing 33, which is preferably formed as an integral partof the hopper 16. The gear casing 33 is provided with a removable cover34 to permit 9.0-

cess to the gearing. The screw shaft 35 transmits motion to the screw 31and is mounted in the bearings 36 and 37 which are formed as an integralpart of the partition wall and rear wall respectively of the hopper 16.The screw shaft 38 transmits motion to the screw 32 and is mounted inthe bearing 39 which is formed as an integral part of the rear wall ofthe hopper 16.

Motion is transmitted from a motor- 40 to a drive shaft 41 carrying theworm 42 which engages the worm gears 43 and 44 on the shafts 35 and 38respectively. The shafts 35 and 38 are mounted in the roller bearings 47and 48 respectively disposed in the removable cover 34. Clutch members49 and 50 are slidably mounted on the shafts 35 and 38 respectively andare prevented from rotating about said shafts by the keys 51 and 52. Theadjacent faces of the clutch members 49, 50 and the worm gears 43, 44are provided with complementary teeth 53v arranged to engage each otheras shown in Fig. 1 whereby motion is transmitted to the screw conveyors31 and 32.

One or both of the screw conveyors 31, 32 may be thrown out of operationby disengaging the teeth 53 by sliding the clutch members 49, 50 alongthe keys 51 and 52 respectively away from the worm gears 43 and 44respectively. The fork members 54, 55 are held in engagement with theclutch members 49, 50 respectively by the shoulders 56, 57 on the clutchmembers 49, 50 respectively. The fork members 54, 55 are operatedthrough the handles 58, 59- respectively, so that movement of the handle58 backward or forward throws the clutch member 49 out of or into en-11o gagement with the worm gear 43 and likewise movement ofthe handle 59backward or forward throws the clutch member 50 out of or intoengagement with the worm gear 44.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figures 5, 6, and '1,wherein the conduits 23 and 24 terminate in a pair of branchingmagazines 26a, 26a, and 27a, 27a, enabling fuel to be spread over gratesurfaces of larger area.

In operation, the hinged cover 19is opened and a supply of fuel ismanually supplied into the hopper 16, the fuel is then advanced from thehopper compartments 17, 17a through the conduits 23, 24 by the screws31, 32 and urged upwardly through the magazines, 26, 27 into thefirebox. It will be understood that the fuel may be supplied into thehopper by power means if desired. The magazines are made flaring so thattheir upperends are larger than their lower ends, for the purpose ofeffecting a loose and free delivery of fuel into the firebox. Themagazines are shown as being inclined slightly forward to permit thefuel to be advanced therethrough more readily, however, such aconstruction has a tendency to deliver more fuel forward of the magazinethan rearward thereof. Inwardly curving vanes 60 are provided on theinner sidewall". of the magazines toward the rear thereof to deflect'aportion of the fuel-rear"wardly whereby an even distribution of fuelmaybe obtained.

I claim: 1

1. In a locomotive having a cab deck, a firebox, and grates therefor,the combination of a fuel hopper beneath said cab deck, said hopperhaving front, rear and side walls, an arcuate bottom wall, a singlepartition wall extending between said side walls and dividing saidhopper into an upper and a lower fuel compartment, said uppercompartment having an arcuate bottom wall parallel throughout its lengthto the bottom wall of said lower compartment, a screw conveyor in eachof saidcompartments having their axes in vertical alignment, drive meansfor operating said screws, mechanism for placing either of said screwsin or out of operation independently, a fuel conduit extending forwardlyfrom each come I partment to a point beneath said firebox grates,

said fuel conduits encasing said screw conveyors and being in axialalignment therewith through 'ment therewith throughout their length,said openings in said-grate, and magazines directly out their length,aplurality of openings in said grate, and magazines directly connectingsaid openings and said fuel conduits.

2. In combination with a furnace having a firebox with grates therein, afuel hopper having front, rear and side walls disposed exterior-1y ofsaid furnace, a partition wall included between the sides of saidhopper, said wall extending downwardly and then forwardly to intersectthe front wall of .the hopper, dividing the latter into an upper and alower fuel compartment, a screw in each compartment having their axes invertical alignment, a pair of fuel conduits each communicating with andextending forwardly from a respective compartment of said hopper to apoint beneath said grate, said fuel conduits encasing said screwconveyors and being in axial alignscrews each provided with a shaftextending outside the backwall of said hopper, gearing associated withsaid shafts for transmitting motion to;said screws, clutch mechanismarranged with said gearing for placing either of said screws in or outof operation independently, a plurality of connecting said openings andsaid fuel conduit the vertical axes of said magazines lying in the sameplane formed by the vertically aligned axes of said screws. a

3. In a locomotive having a cab deck, a firebox and grates therefor, thecombination of a fuel hopper beneath said cab deck, means arranged forthe introduction of fuel into said hopper, a partition wall dividingsaid hopper into a plurality of compartments, a plurality of fuelconduits each communicating with and extending forwardly beneath thefirebox from a respective hopper compartment, a screw in each of saidconduits, bearings for each of said screws in the rear wall of saidhopper, said partition wall having an opening in horizontal alignmentwith one of said bearings, gearing at the rear of said hopper fortransmitiing motion to said screws and clutch mechanism for throwing oneor more of said screws into or out of operation, a casing formedintegral with said fuel hopper for housing said gearing and said clutchmechanism, a plurality of openings in said grate, and magazines directlyconnecting said openings and said fuel conduits.

4. In a locomotive having a cab deck, a firebox and grates therefor, thecombination of a fuel hopper beneath the deck, means arranged for theintroduction of fuel into said hopper, a partition wall dividing saidhopper into two compartments, fuel conduits each communicating with andextending forwardly from a respective compartment beneath the firebox, ascrew in each of said conduits extending rearwardly into each of saidfuel compartments, drive mechanism for operating said screws, bearingsfor one of said screws formed in the partition and rear wall of saidhopper, a bearing for the other of said screws formed in the rear wallof said hopper, openings in said grate, and magazines directlyconnecting said openings and said fuel conduits.

5. As a new article of manufacture a fuel hopper having rear, front,side and bottom walls, a hinged cover, a partition wall dividing saidhopper into two compartments, openings in the front wall of said hoppereach communicating with arespective compartment, bearings formed in thepariition and rear wall of said hopper in horizontal alignment with oneof said openings, a bearing formed in the rear wall of said hopper inhorizontal alignment with said other opening, and a gear housingcompartment at the rear of said hopper and formed integral therewith.

6. In a locomotive having a cab deck, a firebox and grates therefor, thecombination of a fuel hopper beneath the deck, means arranged for theintroduction of fuel into said hopper, a partltion wall dividing saidhopper into a plurality of compartments, fuel conduits eachcommunicating with and extending forwardly into each of said hoppercompartments, a screw conveyor in each of said conduits for advancingfuel therethrough, drive means for operating said screws, bearings foreach of said screws in the rear wall of said hopper, said partition wallhaving an opening in horizontal alignment with one of said bearings,openingsin said grate, and magamnes directly connecting said openingsand said fuel conduits.

7. In a locomotive having and grates therefor, the combination of a fuelhopper beneath the deck, means arranged for the introduction of fuelinto said hopper, said a cab deck, a 'firebox hopper and extendingforwardly from said hopper to a point beneath the firebox, a screw ineach of said conduits extending rearwardly into each of said hoppercompartments, drive means for operating said screws, bearings for eachof said screws in the rear wall 01 said hopper, said partition wallhaving an opening therein in alignment with one of said bearings,openings in the grates of the firebox, and magazines directly connectingsaid openings and said fuel conduits.

n. ARCHER TURNER.

